Talking to Ourselves

Description

Sooner or later, we all face loss. Ten-year old Lito is sure that he can change the weather, if only he concentrates very hard. His seriously ill father Mario is anxious to create a life-long memory for the unsuspecting Lito, and takes him on a road-trip in a truck called Pedro. Together, they embark on a journey through strange landscapes which blur the borders of the Spanish-speaking world. In the meantime, Lito's mother Elena tries to find solace in books - and undertakes a precarious adventure of her own that will challenge her moral limits. Alternately narrated by the mother, father and son, Talking to Ourselves is a story about how we are transformed by loss, and how words, and sex, can serve as powerful modes of resistance. Each of these solitary, richly textured and strikingly unique voices forms a poignant communication-while none of them dares to tell the others the whole truth. A profound tribute to all those who have ever had to care for a loved one, told with Neuman's characteristic warmth, bittersweet humour and wide-ranging intellect.

Andres Neuman was born in Buenos Aires in 1977, and grew up and lives in Spain. The son of Argentinian emigre musicians, he has published numerous novels, short stories, essays and poetry collections. His first novel to be translated into English, Traveller of the Century, was awarded the Alfaguara Prize and the National Critics Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2013 Independent Foreign Fiction Prize.

This is writing of a quality rarely encountered... when you read Neuman's beautiful novel, you realise a very high bar has been set Guardian Neuman is a master craftsman... Talking to Ourselves is a wonderfully articulate novel about a vast and painful subject -- Lucy Popescu Independent on Sunday A contemporary family drama and unflinching story of grief. The cast is chiseled down to three main characters... whose solo voices braid together to create a kaleidoscopic whole The New York Times Neuman captures a family under strain in this skillfully executed tale of secrets and conflicting loyalties... The sensitive translation reflects the rhythms and flavour of the Spanish, while remaining idiomatic and effortless... Moving and bleakly beautiful The Lady The book does not attempt to find coherence beyond each narrator's individual account, which is precisely what makes it so affecting TLS An unforgettable exploration of the emotional landscape of grief and loss Bookanista Neuman has a discerning eye for the foibles of human existence and yet an unwavering compassion for, and understanding of, them -- Elif Shafak How much pain isolates, and the way we cope with that isolation, are brought wrenchingly to life over the next 120 pages... a startling second act for [Neuman]... feels as stark as a Harold Pinter play... It is very hard to find a novel that understands so well how grief touches the erotic Toronto Star Short, intense and unforgettable -- Catherine Taylor Pen Atlas With Talking to Ourselves, Andres Neuman has meticulously crafted an affecting, absorbing portrait of modern family life, one that's centered on the mystery and tragedy of death, but ultimately pulses with the overwhelming power of life Typographical Era